The Minimum
What are the minimum duties that a government is expected to perform and is our government meeting those minimal expectations?
First of all, it is the duty of government to protect the life and property of law-abiding citizens. As a Christian conservative, I would include the life of the unborn in that declaration. If government cannot or will not protect the citizens and their property from harm what purpose is there in having it? Law and order is the bedrock duty of government because without it all other rights and institutions of government fall. However, too many people in government are currently advocating for defunding the police while ignoring riots and lawlessness. While those who promote such policies live in safe communities with walls, high fences, and bodyguards the rest of us witness the result; increased gang activity, domestic abuse, riots, drug trafficking, and more. No other agency of government can effectively protect citizens from lawlessness and violence. Americans should and most Americans do support funding the police and courts.
The Eric Garner arrest
However, we should strive to improve the effectiveness of our police departments. In 2014, Eric Garner was arrested for selling “loosies,” individual cigarettes without a tax stamp. This is a violation of New York state law. During the arrest, 29-year-old NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo placed him in a chokehold that was prohibited by the department. Eric Garner died.
Many details of this case illustrate how police are not being used effectively. I realize the tax element here but in a major city where crime is a problem, why are police arresting someone for selling individual cigarettes? Should selling loose cigarettes even be a crime? If society insists it should, why not give Garner a ticket and have him appear in court.
Andres Serrano stands by his “art,” after it was damaged in a museum in Avignon, France.
Clearly, the training of police officers is also an issue. If we expect officers to run toward violence and danger, we must provide them with the best training available. Also, non-lethal means of control, such as Tasers and pepper spray, should be available to all officers.
The wise use of tax money is another fundamental duty of government. Waste of tax dollars became a personal issue for me in 1987. That year Andres Serrano, a so-called artist, submerged a crucifix in a bottle filled with his urine and took a picture. Serrano called this Piss Christ, and the National Endowment for the Arts paid him $15,000 of tax money for creating it. That terrible picture helped make me a conservative.
Over the years there have been many examples of this abuse of tax funds. Recently, a local clinic for veterans closed due to a lack of funding. Not long after that, I heard that in California a convicted felon serving a life sentence would receive sex-change surgery at taxpayer expense.
While elected officials must be watchful for such abuse perhaps by taking a different approach the government may become more frugal. I suggest a top-down approach to funding. The largest expenditures for a state government (from most expensive to least) are; public welfare, education, health and hospitals, police, jails and prisons, housing and community development, and courts. Is that the priority order you would choose? As a nation, we need to prioritize spending. Then we need to go through and cut the fat.
Most politicians enjoy spending your money. We need to elect more fiscal adults. For me, sex-change operations for felons would be the first thing cut.
Is the government meeting your minimum expectations? Does it fight crime effectively? Are your tax dollars used well? Tell us what you think in the comment section below.
